When we hear CEO, we immediately think of a leader who serves as the forefront of a company. A problem-solver, a cheerleader, and a visionary. Usually, they’re the ones who are always held accountable in case any issue arises. And they make sure that each employee lives up to what is being expected of them. However, a CEO’s job doesn’t end there. From carrying out the company’s vision and mission, as well as strategies, he also needs to engage employees so they could provide the best service to the general public.
But how would they do that? Most people would consider CEOs as executives who make major decisions who leave it to managers and supervisors to handle the rank-and-file. For some, this is a reality, but for the best companies, they use the following approaches to connect to everyone on the floor.
Media And Technology
CEOs and executives often use video presentations to deliver messages to the rank-and-file, and they could give it a personal touch that would give it the connection and engagement employees need. An electronic message sent to an employee’s email signed by the CEO can boost morale, and provide workers with a feeling of having been seen and heard.
With technology today, every entrepreneur banks on their communication skills whether it’s the public or the staff. Using the right words and giving them at the right time does a lot in boosting morale, but how would a CEO know when the right time would be? It’s easy to be joyful when times are good, but what should CEOs communicate when times are down? When is the right time to speak? Often that right time would be when employees are experiencing difficulties, whether it’s a global pandemic, a company downturn, or even a company furlough. These are the times when employees and staff need leadership and guidance, and in such cases, a CEO’s words matter to give employees hope and comfort in what could be a difficult time.
Focus on Safety and Service
All transport companies know that engineers are vital for their companies, and CEOs know how much their work focuses on the safety and service they could provide. They’re the ones responsible for train operations, maintenance and even repair. The public’s safety is their primary concern, so they make sure that all vehicles work, day in and day out. They do routine checks for any issues, may it be minor or major, so that you’re assured of a safe and stable ride. All technology carries a certain risk, and only the expertise of engineers could manage this. The company should give such engineers the training and continuous development they need to upgrade the staff. They need to offer these training programs so their service to the public is still the highest quality.
The proper dissemination of information is also vital when it comes to the public, so all signs must be visible, clear and understandable. It’s critical for emergency exit areas to be visible and accessible, but they should also be easy to see and distinct from other entry and exit points. These should be maintained and checked regularly, to ensure that they are working well, and so management and engineering staff have to be aligned in these areas.
Challenges and Growth
But these are everyday concerns that many in the transport industry often consider. There are other challenges most CEOs have to deal with, and it often concerns health and safety, foot traffic, business and industry. Every day millions of people commute to their business, places of work and even their residences, and Neo Kian Hong, CEO of SMRT Corporation, knows that his work must focus on their protection, whether it is from a deadly virus, an environmental danger or even a possible terror attack.
Hong insists that there are no issues that affect their company culture, and that the strong ethics of the team is to focus on commuters and provide them with the service they need. With the current plans of expansion for more train routes, Hong insists that the company does not want to rely on past achievements for the public to retain their trust.
Employee Engagement
Forming a great bond with your employees is also one of the most important qualities you can have as a leader. Letting them know that they can put their full trust in you when things don’t always go as planned. And like any other relationship, it’s important that you disclose information to everyone. Especially those that directly affect the company. In that way, you can work hand in hand into improving for the better.